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Frank Ticheli’s award-winning Symphony No. 2 has been described as ‘uninhibited, high-flying and intensely rhythmic’ (South Florida Sun-Sentinel).

Angels in the Architecture was inspired by the forms and ornamentation of the Sydney Opera House, contrasting divine light with turbulent darkness to pose the unanswered question of existence. Ticheli is joined by his two major influences in first recordings of Pulitzer Prize-winning Leslie Bassett’s terrific Nonet and the potent messages of 2007 Musical America Composer of the Year William Bolcom’s First Symphony for Band.

The richness of contemporary choral music is explored on this recording of works by some of today’s leading composers from across three continents. Eric Whitacre’s dramatic setting of Lorca’s poetry is contrasted with Frank Ticheli’s serene setting of There Will Be Rest, in which he attempts, in his own words, to “capture [the poem’s] purity of spirit and delicate lyricism”. Arvo Pärt has crafted an atmospheric setting of John Henry Newman’s 1843 sermon Wisdom and Innocence. David N. Childs’ Do Not Go Gentle, a setting of Dylan Thomas’ famous poem, embodies a foreboding and ominous undercurrent of desperation in the face of impending death. Vox Humana is a new 24-voice chamber choir based in Dallas, Texas.

Amongst the composers featured in this disc, Eric Whitacre is currently exceptionally popular, and Pärt and Tavener are perennial favourites. Composers such as Lauridsen and Ticheli, who are somewhat less well known but who have established followings and who contribute settings of great depth, are also included. The mood is largely consoling but not simplistic. There is no strictly comparable disc available.

Landscapes is a journey through the rich tapestry of American wind band music, performed by one of the country’s leading ensembles. One of Michael Torke’s most admired works, Javelin has been described as a ‘sonic olympiad’, while his arrangement of Mojave was made especially for Ji Hye Jung and the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble.

Frank Ticheli explores vibrant colors in sound in his moving An American Elegy, while the Copland arrangements encapsulate the depth and variety of his imagination.

Few contemporary groups are as versatile as the Ohio State University Wind Symphony, and their exploration of new and exciting wind music is second-to-none. This largely American program centers on two works by Frank Ticheli: Rest, a beguiling piece dedicated to the memory of the father of conductor Russel Mikkelson, and Symphony No. 1 which, in the words of the composer, represents ‘a kind of journey of the soul – from innocence, to introspection, to darkness, and finally to enlightenment.’ Michael Gibertson’s Vigil is nocturnal and lyrical in character, while John Mackey’s Asphalt Cocktail promises the scariest taxi ride of your life. There is also a real rarity from Gustav Holst.

The University of Kansas Wind Ensemble offers musically enriching and artistically outstanding performances of the finest wind band repertoire.

The Ensemble here presents a diverse selection of 21st-century music which takes its name from multi award- winning Ticheli’s exuberant Wild Nights!

Mackey’s Soprano Saxophone Concerto pays tribute to his teacher Corigliano’s Clarinet Concerto, the instrumentation of its inner movements matching their titles: ‘Felt’, ‘Metal’ and ‘Wood’.

Etezady’s Anahita was inspired by William Morris Hunt’s depiction of the beautiful and terrifying Zoroastrian night goddess, Dzubay’s Shadow Dance elaborates on Pérotin’s famous medieval organum Viderunt Omnes, while Bryant’s chorale-like Dusk is illuminated by the fiery hues of sunset.